Saturday, 31 January 2009

Mr Smith thinks this is all very dodgy. The Deputy Chief seems to really like rugby, but the other details demonstrate just how entertaining being a senior cop can actually be.

"ONE of Scotland’s most senior police officers accepted dozens of gifts from private firms and sports organisations, including tickets to rugby matches, golf tournaments, theatre performances and a pop concert. Tom Halpin, the deputy chief constable of Lothian and Borders, is believed to have accepted more corporate hospitality than any other senior officer in Scotland. Over the past three years he has attended at least 10 rugby internationals as a guest of the Scottish Rugby Union, including a France v Scotland match in Paris. He also accepted two invitations from the Royal Bank of Scotland to attend golf tournaments at Gleneagles and the Euro 2008 qualifier between Scotland and Italy in 2007 at Hampden, where he was treated to a champagne reception."

And all at the same time as the thin blue line is looking increasingly under pressure.

"Police officers in Scotland took an average of 10 days’ sick leave last year, almost double the amount taken by private-sector workers. Injuries suffered during non-frontline duties and stress because of rising paperwork have been blamed for the high sickness rates among Scottish officers, many of whom are off for months at a time."

But why are so many big companies so keen to keep on the good side of the cops?

About Me

A long-term watcher of the Scottish political scene, sometime professional participant but most recently an enthusiatic amateur who is watching the development of Scotland's "new politics" from a distance.